I have finaly gotten down to the point where I can confidently turn my MiniDV tape production work into functioning DVDs that play in most DVD players (high compatibility rate) but have a few questions I hope someone has the time to assist with..

For people always looking for a work flow process, this is mine. (YMMV)

I shoot with a Canon OpturaXI and transfer the digital video from the camera to the computer video FireWire. Computer is AMD 2500XP 1G memory, ATI AIW 8500DI, ECS Mobo and Pioneer A5 DVD -RW burner.

I use Premiere 6.5 to import the video and edit it with titling, cuts wipes sounds etc etc.. nice job. I started using this one with the biz a few years ago and it's what I am used to the most. I export to tape back on a new MiniDV as the MasterDv for this production and then once again export as via MPEG Encoder as HIGH DVD template (settings say DVD High). I end up with two .m2v files. (not at home now just guessing the file name extension..)

I fire up TMPGEnc DVD Author (trial version) and create a play first DVD and create a menu that shows up at the end of video play. So when you slap this DVD in a player, the video plays right away. The video title and info is on the video itself thus no need for a menu. No chapters attempts yet though.. later. A single video on DVD. TMPGEnc DVD Author will burn it for me on -RW which I then test against my old Sanyo stand alone player and then, over to the main working machine (AMD300XP 1G mem, AIW 9700 Pro) Make a DVD image using Alcohol 120% prog. I then use the MSI 8X -/+ RW burner to burn the final copy (multiples) to DVD +R using Maxells 4X (which will burn at 8X) and Alcohol 120% again..

This is MY process.. and for the most part works well. BUT.. (there is always a but isn't there?!)

(A) When burning to DVD from the image files, how MUCH of an effect does the burning speed actualy have on the product outcome? If I burn at 1X will I enjoy better compatibility rates than if I burn at 4X or 8X?

(B) The trial period is coming due on the TMPGEnc DVD Author prog and I went to their site to purchase this prog and well, what the heck? I am not sure if it's just ME but I can't see which prog I should be buying because I do find it confusing.. ACM3 this or that, post this or that? ack.. What am I looking for if I want to have a registered paid working version of TMPGEnc DVD Author?

Again, many thanks to those who took the time to assist in the past.. slowly but surely it all came together.

Cheers